NEDA History

Since as early as the 18th century many generations of the founding family, based on the Ionian island of Cephalonia, had owned and operated sailing vessels which traded throughout the Adriatic, Mediterranean and Black Sea, and as far afield as Western Europe.

In those earlier times few owners maintained companies or offices ashore, but during the 1880's it became clear that a more formal management system would be required, and thus Neda Maritime Agency was formed, with the founding family purchasing its first steam ship in 1888, the s.s. "ELENI MILA". In 1892 an office was opened in Cardiff, and 3 years later an office in London. At that time, The Company was listed as operating the largest Greek fleet by tonnage. An original member of the Union of Greek Ship Owners, The Company also provided its first President by election for its first 8 years.

In 1896 the Company placed its first order in the UK for the construction of a steamship, the s.s. "FOTIS", thus starting a tradition of operating very modern vessels, usually newbuildings constructed to its own exacting specifications.

During WW1 the Company suffered the loss of four vessels due to enemy action. Subsequently, during the inter-war period, the Company's operations moved to Athens but returned to London due to the enemy occupation of Greece during WW2. Neda's representative was responsible for all Greek-owned vessels at the UK Ministry of Transport throughout the War years.

Neda Maritime Agency suffered further heavy losses of tonnage during WW2. At the end of hostilities, unlike many other Greek companies which opted to purchase Liberty ships, Neda purchased its first tanker (a T2 renamed "KATE NL"), thus becoming the first Greek company to operate tankers. Since then, Neda has maintained an unbroken history of operating tanker vessels alongside its dry cargo fleet.

During the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's, Neda Maritime Agency resumed its newbuilding programme, ordering a large number of tankers of increasing sizes over that time. Neda was one of the first foreign companies to place an order in Japan (m/t "ANTZOULETTA" of 16,000 dwt in 1952 from Hitachi Zosen, then known as Osaka Iron Works). This was the start of a long and fruitful relationship between Neda Maritime and Hitachi Zosen (now Universal Shipbuilding) which in 2000 celebrated the 50th year of co-operation between the two companies, with Neda taking delivery of Hitachi Zosen's 100th Panamax bulkcarrier (m/v "SPARTIA" of 75,000 dwt).

In 1974 the Company took delivery of its first Very Large Crude Carrier, the m/t "SANKO STRESA", from the HDW Shipyard of Kiel, Germany. Later, in the early 1980's, Neda was one of the pioneers of the Long Range Products Tanker market, operating 4 LR1 vessels during that decade, two of which were also constructed at Hitachi Zosen.

A historic step was taken in 1990, when Neda ordered the world's first double hull VLCC, the m/t "AROSA". Neda worked closely with Hitachi Zosen and Lloyd's Register of Shipping to develop the design of the vessel from scratch, there being no detailed rules and regulations as yet developed at that time for the design and construction of very large double hull vessels. The vessel was delivered to Neda Maritime Agency in February of 1993, making her the first double hull VLCC in the World to trade commercially. It is a testament to the foresight and high standards of Neda's technical design team that the numerous dimensional and design decisions made by Neda, in close cooperation with Lloyd's Register, in the planning and construction of m/t "AROSA" were adopted as the industry standard for such vessels.

Within the first decade of the 21st century, the Neda fleet has expanded due to increased world cargo demand to more than double its numbers of previous decades, and a fourfold increase in its tonnage, with over 70 sale and purchase transactions having been made during this period, including taking delivery of 16 newbuildings. At the start of 2012 the Neda fleet numbered 27 vessels, tankers and bulk carriers, of which five are VLCCs and eight are Capesize bulk carriers, totalling a deadweight tonnage of almost 4.5 million metric tonnes.

A continuing newbuilding programme for delivery of vessels in the coming years seeks to maintain the Company's tradition and practice of offering our clients a modern, high quality fleet, with exceptional standards of technical maintenance and operational professionalism.

Since the purchase of that first steam ship, the Company is now celebrating almost 140 years in the ship management business, making Neda Maritime one of the oldest Greek shipping companies in existence and still under the Presidency of a direct descendant of the founding family.

Our aim today is to progress through the next century with the same foresight and robustness as our founding fathers during the previous centuries.